Short answer. Measure the inside diameter of a ring that already fits, or wrap a strip of paper around the finger and measure the length, then read the size off the table below. Australia uses letters (the same as the UK); most online jewellers, including Amaurine, list US numbers; the table converts both to millimetres. Measure in the evening, when fingers are at their largest, and if you land between two sizes, take the larger one.
The three systems you will meet
Australian and UK letters. A to Z, with half sizes. Most Australian women's rings fall between L and P; M and N are the most commonly quoted sizes.
US numbers. 3 to 13, with half and quarter sizes. A US 7 is an Australian N½; a US 6 is L½; a US 8 is P½. This is the system our product pages use, so it is the one to convert to.
Millimetres. The inside diameter or the inside circumference of the ring. This is the only measurement that means the same thing everywhere, which is why the table carries it.
Three ways to measure
1. A ring you already own
The most reliable method, because it measures the fit you already like. Take a ring that sits well on the finger you are buying for. Lay it on a ruler marked in millimetres and measure the inside of the circle at its widest point, edge to edge, ignoring the band. Read that diameter off the table. A ring for a different finger, or a ring that spins, will give you the wrong answer.
2. Paper and a pen
Cut a strip of paper about 5 mm wide and 10 cm long. Wrap it around the base of the finger, snug but not tight, and mark where it overlaps. Measure from the end to the mark in millimetres. That is the circumference; read it off the right-hand column. Do it three times and use the middle number. String works but stretches, so paper is better.
3. A jeweller or a sizer
Any jeweller will size a finger in thirty seconds with a set of steel rings, and most will do it without a purchase. Plastic sizers from a pharmacy or online cost a few dollars and are accurate enough. This is the way to go for a wide band, a knuckle that is larger than the base of the finger, or a gift.
The conversion table
Australian and UK letter sizes against US numbers, with the inside diameter and circumference in millimetres. Half sizes are the ones that line up with whole US numbers.
| AU / UK | US | Inside diameter (mm) | Inside circumference (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| J | 4¾ | 15.5 | 48.7 |
| J½ | 5 | 15.7 | 49.3 |
| K | 5¼ | 15.9 | 50.0 |
| K½ | 5½ | 16.1 | 50.6 |
| L | 5¾ | 16.3 | 51.2 |
| L½ | 6 | 16.5 | 51.9 |
| M | 6¼ | 16.7 | 52.5 |
| M½ | 6½ | 16.9 | 53.1 |
| N | 6¾ | 17.1 | 53.8 |
| N½ | 7 | 17.3 | 54.4 |
| O | 7¼ | 17.5 | 55.1 |
| O½ | 7½ | 17.7 | 55.7 |
| P | 7¾ | 17.9 | 56.3 |
| P½ | 8 | 18.1 | 57.0 |
| Q | 8¼ | 18.3 | 57.6 |
| Q½ | 8½ | 18.5 | 58.3 |
| R | 8¾ | 18.8 | 58.9 |
| R½ | 9 | 19.0 | 59.5 |
| S | 9¼ | 19.2 | 60.2 |
| S½ | 9½ | 19.4 | 60.8 |
| T | 9¾ | 19.6 | 61.4 |
Figures are the standard trade conversions, rounded to 0.1 mm. Different charts round slightly differently; a difference of 0.2 mm is one quarter-size and not worth worrying about.
Getting it right
Measure in the evening. Fingers swell through the day and in heat, and shrink in cold. Evening on an ordinary day is the honest measurement. Straight after exercise, or with cold hands, is not.
Mind the knuckle. A ring has to pass the knuckle to reach the base of the finger. If your knuckle is noticeably larger, size for somewhere between the two: a ring that fits the base perfectly but will not pass the knuckle is no use.
Wide bands run tight. A band wider than about 6 mm covers more finger and feels tighter at the same size. Go up a half size for a wide band.
Between sizes, go up. A slightly loose ring is wearable. A slightly tight one is not, and it is the one that comes off with soap and does not go back on in summer.
Hands differ. The dominant hand is usually a half size larger. Measure the finger you will actually wear the ring on.
Sizing our rings
Our sized rings are listed in US numbers. The Corniche Ring, for example, comes in US 7, 8 and 9, which are Australian N½, P½ and R½; the Rivage Band Ring is a wide band in US 7. Some rings are made adjustable and are not sized at all: the Chaussée Row Ring is one, with a gap in the shank so it opens to fit.
Two things worth knowing before you choose. Sterling silver rings, with or without gold on top, can be resized by a jeweller and then re-plated where needed; steel rings cannot, so buy those in the size that fits. And a gold layer on any plated ring wears first on the inside of the shank, which is one more reason a ring should sit comfortably rather than tight. The rest of the ring collection states its sizes on each page, and the care page covers how to keep them.
If we do not list the size you need, write to us. And if you are weighing a plated ring against a solid one before you decide on size, our Australian guide to gold-plated, vermeil and solid gold covers what each is and what it should cost.
Bangles and cuffs, briefly
A bangle has to pass over the hand, so the measurement is the widest part of the hand with the thumb tucked into the palm, not the wrist. Measure that circumference with a paper strip, divide by 3.14 for a diameter, and compare it with the inside diameter on the bangle's page; ours list it in millimetres. A cuff opens, so it is sized to the wrist and worn by opening it across the wrist rather than forcing it over the hand.
Questions
What is a US size 7 ring in Australian sizes?
N½. A US 6 is L½, a US 8 is P½ and a US 9 is R½. In millimetres, a US 7 has an inside diameter of about 17.3 mm and a circumference of about 54.4 mm.
How do I measure my ring size with string or paper?
Wrap a narrow strip of paper snugly around the base of the finger, mark where it overlaps, and measure from the end to the mark in millimetres. That number is the circumference; find it in the right-hand column of the table. Paper is better than string because it does not stretch.
What is the average ring size for women in Australia?
Most Australian women's ring sizes fall between L and P, and M and N are the most commonly quoted. In US sizes that is roughly 6 to 7. Averages are only useful for a surprise gift; for anything else, measure.
Should I size up or down if I am between sizes?
Up. A ring that is slightly loose is wearable and can be adjusted later if it is silver or gold. A ring that is slightly tight comes off with soap, will not go back on in summer, and cannot be made larger if it is steel.
Do wide bands need a bigger size?
Yes. A band wider than about 6 mm covers more of the finger and feels tighter at the same nominal size. Go up a half size, or have the finger sized by a jeweller with a wide-band sizer.
Can a gold over steel ring be resized?
No. Stainless steel is too hard to cut and solder the way a jeweller resizes silver or gold, so a steel ring has to be bought in the size that fits. Sterling silver rings, including gold-over-silver ones, can be resized and then re-plated.
